Discovery Spark
Supercharge Your Science Startup with Discovery Spark & Zinc VC
Our next Discovery Spark programme runs in partnership with Zinc VC, offering early-stage science ventures the chance to secure up to £250,000 in investment! Cohort 5 runs from 9th September to 16th October 2025, and is open to inception-stage, pre-seed, and pre-investment science companies working in Cardiovascular and Cardiometabolic Health. Whilst cardio is our core focus, we welcome a wide range of technologies and modalities so innovation in any form is encouraged. Beyond funding, participants will receive tailored expert support, access to industry-leading mentors and networks, and the chance to secure free lab space and a specialist support package to accelerate your growth! Register your interest now for more information and the full application form.
Register your interest
Free programme for science companies working in Cardiovascular and Cardiometabolic Health.
Learn from industry professionals and make vital connections
Running bi-weekly between 9th September - 16th October 2025
Chance to win up to £250k in investment, free lab space & a package of support
Why Discovery Spark?
Discovery Spark is a growth programme and immersive learning experience like no other. Designed to connect visionary founders with a dynamic network of peers and mentors, it helps sharpen your ability to communicate with diverse stakeholders through impactful messaging and storytelling. You’ll develop a growth mindset while refining your commercial strategy to build strong foundations and attract investment.
The programme features engaging sessions on essential topics, including intellectual property, startup legalities, branding, financial planning, regulatory compliance, and investor expectations. You’ll gain insights from successful founder ambassadors, share experiences with fellow founders, and build meaningful, lasting connections.
Watch the video for more information.
Programme details
Our upcoming cohort features three immersive 2-day sessions, culminating in a final Pitch Day – your opportunity to showcase the insights and skills gained throughout the programme in a compelling, investor-ready presentation.
Session Dates:
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Sessions 1 & 2: Tuesday 9th & Wednesday 10th September
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Sessions 3 & 4: Tuesday 23rd & Wednesday 24th September
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Sessions 5 & 6: Tuesday 7th & Wednesday 8th October
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Session 7 (Pitch Day): Thursday 16th October (London)
Location:
All main sessions will be held at Discovery Park, Kent: Discovery Park, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, CT13 9FF
The nearest train stations are Thanet Parkway and Sandwich, both easily accessible from London St Pancras and Stratford International. A free electric shuttle service runs from these stations to the park for your convenience.
Additional information
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Travel: Participants are responsible for their own travel expenses.
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Accommodation: We will cover the cost of overnight stays between consecutive session days.
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Catering: Lunch will be provided at all sessions.
Please note: Attendance at all sessions is required from at least 1 person per company. If you’re unavailable for the dates above, please get in touch, we’ll be happy to discuss future cohorts or alternative opportunities that may be a better fit for your schedule.
Why join Discovery Spark?
Accelerate Your Growth
Expert-Led Learning
Powerful Mentorship & Networking
A Supportive Community
Transform Your Pitch & Investment Readiness
Exclusive Prizes & Investment Opportunities
Application Process
To be eligible, you must be inception-stage or pre-seed, pre-investment, and working in Cardiovascular and Cardiometabolic Health. You should also have a validated idea or technology—such as preclinical proof of concept or TRL 3/4.
How to Apply
Step 1:
Register your interest using the form above by midnight on 18th July 2025.
Step 2:
You’ll be contacted the next working day with more information and a link to the Application Form. You’ll be asked to answer questions about your business and upload a pitch deck plus a 1-minute video (this can be recorded on a mobile phone, no need for a professional production)
Step 3:
Submit your completed Application Form by midnight on 27th July 2025.
Applications will be reviewed by Discovery Park and Zinc VC, with the selected cohort notified during the week commencing 4th August 2025.
If you’d like to learn more about the programme or check your suitability before applying, you’ll have the chance to book a Teams call with Renos Savva, Discovery Park’s Head of Innovation and Venture Development. Just register your interest using the form above, and we’ll share the details with you.
Hear from some of our previous cohort...
What a journey it’s been with the Discovery Spark accelerator over the last few weeks for imphatec Ltd. A huge thank you to Renos Savva for putting together such an inspiring and educational programme and getting such great and enlightening speakers to treat us to brilliant discussions and seminars. The breadth and multidisciplinary teachings on offer is a testament to the programme’s aims to give the start-ups and founders involved a solid base from which to push on forward!
James Catt , Co Founder
A heartfelt appreciation for Renos Savva and all of the team at Discovery Park. I am absolutely blown away, this course has been a transformative experience for me and so many others. The course is meticulously designed, with each lesson building on the last, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of key entrepreneurial concepts. The interactive nature of the course kept me engaged and motivated throughout. The community of fellow entrepreneurs I met through this course has been phenomenal. The collaborative environment, has encouraged us to share ideas, seek feedback, and support each other’s journeys. Thank you again Renos for creating such an enriching and empowering course. Your dedication to helping aspiring entrepreneurs like me succeed is truly inspiring. I am excited to apply everything I’ve learned and continue growing my business with the confidence and knowledge gained from your course. If you’re considering taking any course here, do it!
Katy Longhurst , Founder & CEO
It was an amazing opportunity to have been selected to participate in the Discovery Spark Femtech and Women’s Health edition programme. As a new start-up we felt it would be really helpful joining a programme like this and it certainly did not disappoint. It has been such an experience; we’ve learnt so much from this process from both the lectures by amazing speakers and the other amazing start-ups in the cohort. What we really loved about the programme is that it introduces you to different concepts around business and things we can really embed as we’re starting on our journey to ensure we’re going in the right direction. If you get the opportunity to take part in Discovery Spark we really recommend jumping at it!
Rebecca Hyman , Co Founder & CEO
The Discovery Park team and Dr Renos Savva have been pivotal in providing maximal and significant benefits to our entrepreneurial journey.
Their extensive and tailored business support, encompassing connections with clinical teams and experts in Kent, various financing options, and guidance on resilience in the face of adversity, has been both helpful and instrumental. This comprehensive support has played a crucial role in our growth and development.
Andrew Guo , Founder & Director
It felt as though the sessions were designed for us personally as we have changed immeasurably throughout. We have pivoted and changed direction throughout as well. We have come together through the program as a company and as people. I just want to say thank you for believing in us. You have made us believe in ourselves as well!
Stephen Hilton , Founder & CEO
The support we’ve received from the Discovery Park team has been truly uplifting and friendly. It provided us with valuable insights into how we’ve progressed since our last pitch.
Renos has been exceptionally understanding and supportive throughout the program, and we appreciate the team’s hard work in guiding us.
Heraldas Gaspariunas , Chief Operations Officer
